Modern commercial aircraft usually comprise high lift systems that are able to drastically increase the lift of the aircraft during start and landing phases for enabling a low flight velocity. A large variety of high lift systems is known that may comprise leading edge flaps or slats and trailing edge flaps movably supported relative to the wing.
A trailing-edge flap movably supported relative to the wing is a high lift device that is configured to increase the lift coefficient of the wing by increasing the camber and/or the surface area of the wing. For example, in a drop flap system, a trailing-edge flap is merely rotated around a hinge line relative to the wing, such that the camber of the wing is adjustable. In more advanced flap systems, the trailing-edge flap is moved/extended beyond a trailing-edge of a wing structure and rotated around a hinge line. Optionally, a gap is created between the flap and the wing structure that allows air flowing from an underside of the wing to its upper side through the gap. This delays a flow separation, thereby enabling the aircraft to assume higher angles of attack. These trailing-edge flaps are known as “Fowler” flaps.
For moving such a Fowler flap, basically two different system designs are common. In a rail system, a guide rail is attached to the wing structure, and a carriage is guided on the guide rail and supports the trailing-edge flap through a joint, while a drive means is coupled with another joint of the trailing-edge flap so as to move it along the guide rail.
A trailing-edge flap system having a guide rail is known from EP 0503158 B1 that discloses a combined bearing and guide rail for a carriage that is movable thereon and on which the flap is movably held, and a setting drive which acts on a driving lever. A driving rod connects the driving lever to the carriage, and a two-armed lever is mounted on the carriage, of which one arm is connected by way of a control rod to the driving lever and the second arm is flexibly connected to the flap.
Also, trailing-edge flap systems are known that use a telescopic drive for moving the trailing-edge flap and a multi-lever system for rotation of the trailing-edge flap. Such a system is inter alia known from DE 10 328 540 B4.
Objects, desirable features, and characteristics of embodiments described herein will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.